Claws of the Cat by Susan Spann Read Free Book Online Page A

didn’t buy me presents like the other girls get sometimes, but then, he wasn’t my patron, just a regular visitor.”
    “Did he ever bring guests to the teahouse?”
    Sayuri smiled. Her eyes sparkled. “He brought his brother, Hidetaro.”
    Hiro found it curious that Sayuri’s first genuine smile came at the mention of Hideyoshi’s brother. Nothing in teahouse culture prohibited a girl from entertaining both a man and his relatives, though a girl who accepted a man as her patron would generally refuse separate visits from his brothers or male relations.
    “Anyone else?” Hiro asked.
    Sayuri squinted at the ceiling. Her forehead wrinkled in thought. “A couple of months ago he entertained a cousin from out of town. Masuhide? No, but something like that.”
    “You don’t remember?” Hiro asked. Entertainers were trained to remember names, to make a client’s friends feel special on subsequent visits.
    “No.” Sayuri pushed a stray hair behind her ear as her cheeks turned pink with embarrassment. “I got the impression they had only met a couple of times. They didn’t seem close, and Hideyoshi said the cousin was just passing through on business. I didn’t think I would need to remember his name.”
    “What about Hideyoshi’s brother … Hidetaro? Did he visit you often?”
    “A few times, with Hideyoshi.” Sayuri’s radiant smile returned, but faded quickly. “Hidetaro can’t afford teahouses. But he’s very nice.”
    “When was the last time you saw him?” Hiro asked.
    Sayuri looked at the floor. “Several weeks ago.”
    “What about Nobuhide?” Father Mateo asked.
    “He’s not allowed here anymore.” Sayuri’s eyes widened. She lowered her voice. “He got drunk and forced himself on one of the girls. We’re not that kind of house. It made Mayuri furious. She told Hideyoshi his son was not welcome anymore.”
    “Do you know the girl’s name?” Hiro asked.
    “Umeha?” Sayuri shook her head. “I think it was Umeha, but I’m not sure. She hasn’t worked here in over a year. I think—”
    The door rustled open and Sayuri cut herself off midsentence.
    Mayuri knelt in the doorway.
    “I apologize for the inconvenience,” she said, in a tone that said the opposite. “My women cannot speak with you this morning. It appears you have waited for nothing.”

 
     
    Chapter 8
     
    Father Mateo started to protest but Hiro bowed and said, “Thank you. We will come back later.”
    Mayuri stood up to lead them out. Father Mateo gave Hiro a confused look. The shinobi shook his head slightly and followed Mayuri without argument.
    When they reached the front of the teahouse Hiro said, “Since the other girls cannot speak with us, perhaps you can tell us where to find Umeha.”
    Mayuri’s smile disappeared. Her lips parted in surprise, but she recovered almost immediately. “I’m afraid I don’t know that name.”
    “You are afraid because you do,” Hiro corrected, “and either you tell me where to find her, or I let it slip to our friends in the yard that she has information about Hideyoshi’s death that you have tried to hide. We’ll see how long it takes them to find her for me.”
    “They already know where to find her.” Mayuri’s smile faded and her expression hardened as she looked past Hiro at the d ō shin standing in the yard. “You can find her at the House of the Floating Plums in Pontocho.”
    Father Mateo said nothing until they reached the bridge. As they crossed the river he said, “Why did we leave? We need to talk with the other women. Someone must have heard something.”
    “Do you think they would tell us the truth?” Hiro didn’t wait for a response. “Mayuri is hiding something and her women will back her up, at least until we know enough to persuade them otherwise.”
    “Well, at least Mayuri helped us find Umeha,” the priest said, “though I’m not sure why you want to know.”
    “When a dead man’s heir has violent tendencies, it’s helpful to